Decorrelation control by the cerebellum achieves oculomotor plant compensation in simulated vestibulo-ocular reflex

Abstract

We introduce decorrelation control as a candidate algorithm for the cerebellar microcircuit and demonstrate its utility for oculomotor plant compensation in a linear model of the vestibulo–ocular reflex (VOR). Using an adaptive–filter representation of cerebellar cortex and an anti–Hebbian learning rule, the algorithm learnt to compensate for the oculomotor plant by minimizing correlations between a predictor variable (eye–movement command) and a target variable (retinal slip), without requiring a motor–error signal. Because it also provides an estimate of the unpredicted component of the target variable, decorrelation control can simplify both motor coordination and sensory acquisition. It thus unifies motor and sensory cerebellar functions.